Firefighters rescue dog in 3-alarm house fire

Firefighters rescued a dog named Mia from a three-alarm structure fire that appeared to destroy a single-family home at 24 Stanphyl Road Thursday.

But more than a dozen other animals were unaccounted for, resident Jason Johnson told reporters.

“The residents of the house had come home and gave us an indication of where the animals may be,” Fire Chief William T. Kessler said. “From the ladder, (firefighters) were able to see a dog on the second floor, and firefighters went in and were able to make their way in and bring that dog out.”

As the dog emerged from the blaze, Mr. Johnson and his girlfriend, Ashley Johnson, sprinted to the animal and hugged it.

Mr. Johnson said a cat also made its way out of the blaze, but there were many other animals, “probably nine cats, four dogs including Mia, and a bird.”

No one was home at the time of the fire. Mr. Johnson said he was returning from Warwick, R.I. He said he had only been living in the house for about a year and a half after moving here from Cranston.

The dog shivered and had an apparent cut on her front paw. Mr. Johnson said he could not answer any more questions because he had to get Mia to a vet.

Fire Chief Kessler said emergency dispatch received a call of smoke in the area at 1:44 p.m., and it was followed up with a call four minutes later reporting a structure fire at that site.

The department's first engine truck arrived at 1:56.

The blaze was under control within about 35 minutes, said Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Dion.

The cause was under investigation as personnel from the state fire marshal's office were en route, the chief said.

Firefighters from 10 to 12 towns assisted at the fire. Because the fire was outside the water district, the department required many tankers, the chief said.

“We have an engine set at the (Uxbridge) Rod and Gun Club on West Street, where they have a pond,” Chief Kessler said. “That's where we're filling the tankers.”

The chief said he believed the family provided a home for stray animals.

“It was certainly a good thing to see that we were able to save at least one animal for them,” he said. “As you saw, the family was very happy.”

Published assessor records said the eight-room, two-story house was built in 1998.